In the March 2011 issue of Talent Management Magazine, Booz & Company Senior Partner Gerald Adolph (North America) said that clear and concise communication by talent managers can be instrumental to alleviate the uncertainty employees tend to feel when a merger or acquisition is announced. “What’s most important … is to communicate what you know (and) what you don’t know,” he said. Also important is to communicate the game plan and a timeline, Adolph added. And once the transaction is announced, integration teams should begin to consider how best to bring two organizations together; on average, it takes about four months to create a solid plan and communicate to employees what the outlook is for them. “(You can communicate) to someone, ‘Your job is going to change, but not for another two years, so you can relax, and then we’ll communicate to you as the time comes,’” Adolph added. “Or you could say to somebody, ‘Your role has changed, but we need you to do something in transition; here’s what we’re going to do for you; here’s how we’re going to treat you.’”

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